OKC Thunder has best Lakers scout in Derek Fisher

Why has the overall move been so smooth for Fisher?

"It's a combination of experience and having played with multiple teams in a lot of situations that are similar from watching this team," Fisher said. "As soon as I signed, I got a playbook and also a video playbook, so I've been spending a lot of time there, just trying to make sure that I'm not putting coach in a position where he can't trust me on the floor at any time. So no matter how many minutes I play, I want him (Brooks) to be able to call whatever plays he needs to call to give us the best chance to be successful."

Fisher's transition off the court has been much more difficult. Married with four children, Fisher was uprooted from family after parting ways with the Lakers on March 15. The Thunder had Wednesday off, which gave Fisher some family time with his return home.

"Obviously, life changes quickly and there's a lot going on with the family, with my kids and those things," Fisher said. "But on the court and around this team – the community in Oklahoma City – it's everything and more than I imagined in terms of how good it would be to be around these guys. From the first player to the 15th player, every guy has been great. All the coaches, everybody has just been wonderful to work with, so I'm looking forward to continuing this process, getting to know these guys better."

Fisher will meet with LA media during Thursday morning's shoot-around session at Santa Monica High School and also during the 45-minute interview window before the game. The Lakers will show a video honoring Fisher during pre-game.

"I'm sure he's going to be very excited about going back and getting a well-deserved standing ovation," Brooks said. "Obviously, the guys there love him and he should be loved."